"Everybody" is a song recorded by Tanel Padar and Dave Benton, along with 2XL, with music composed by Ivar Must and lyrics written by Maian-Anna Kärmas. It in the Eurovision Song Contest 2001 held in Copenhagen, resulting in the country's only ever win at the contest and the first victory by one of the countries that debuted in the contest in the 1990s after the fall of the Iron Curtain.

Background

Conception

"Everybody" was composed by Ivar Must with lyrics by Maian-Anna Kärmas. Lyrically, the song is simply an invitation to party, with the duo singing that "every night's a Friday night".

Eurovision

On 3 February 2001, "Everybody" performed by Tanel Padar and Dave Benton, with 2XL providing the backing vocals –Lauri Pihlap, Kaido Põldma, Sergei Morgun, and Indrek Soom–, competed in , the national final organised by Eesti Televisioon (ETV) to select its song and performer for the of the Eurovision Song Contest. The song won the competition so it became the for Eurovision. Tanel had previously provided backing vocals for Estonia's, "Once in a Lifetime" sung by Eda-Ines Etti, his girlfriend at the time. On 12 May 2001, the Eurovision Song Contest was held at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen hosted by the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR), and broadcast live throughout the continent. Padar and Benton, along 2XL, performed "Everybody" twentieth on the evening, following 's "Wer Liebe lebt" by Michelle and preceding 's "Another Summer Night" by Fabrizio Faniello. At the close of voting, the song had received 198 points (12 from, , , , , , , , and the ), with the win coming at the head of a twenty-three-song field. Benton became the first black contestant to win the contest and, to date, is the oldest person to do so. The song was followed as Estonian representative at the, held in the Estonian capital of Tallinn, by "Runaway" by Sahlene.

Track listings

Charts

Weekly charts

Legacy

Maarja-Liis Ilus has recorded a cover version.